Sahara: Autonomy Plan Establishes Itself as ‘Framework’ for Achieving Sustainable, Acceptable Political Solution – French Expert –

The autonomy plan proposed by Morocco is essential as a “framework” for the search for a lasting and acceptable political solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara, said Thursday in New York André Grimblatt, expert in communication sciences at the Paris-Sorbonne University. “Following the U.S. proclamation on the Moroccanness of the Sahara, the Moroccan autonomy plan, presented in 2007 to the Security Council and supported by several nations and representatives, is required as a framework for the search of a political, sustainable and acceptable solution”, he told the 4th Committee of the UN General Assembly. This is a “serious, credible, realistic plan which constitutes the sole basis for a just and lasting solution” to the Moroccan Sahara issue, he said, recalling that this initiative was the subject of consultations at all levels of the Moroccan nation. The French academic pointed out that under the Moroccan initiative, the state preserves its territorial unity while transferring part of its powers to the Sahrawi population, “who can manage their own affairs democratically”. In this regard, he called for the adoption of the autonomy plan as “the viable solution” to this regional conflict which has lasted for too many years.